What is a bow rehair, and why is it important?
What Is a Bow Rehair? Why Your Violin, Viola or Cello Bow May Need One
If your violin, viola or cello bow isn’t responding like it used to, the problem may not be your instrument — it could be the bow hair.
At Carlingford Music Centre, we regularly see bows that have gradually lost their responsiveness, grip and playing feel simply because the horsehair has worn out. A professional bow rehair can make a remarkable difference to the way your bow performs.
What Is a Bow Rehair?
Bows used with orchestral string instruments such as the violin, viola, cello and double bass are traditionally fitted with horsehair.
Horsehair is strong, flexible and naturally coarse. When combined with bow rosin, the hair creates the friction needed to grip and move the instrument’s strings, allowing them to vibrate and produce sound.
Over time, however, this hair naturally wears out.
A bow rehair involves removing the old horsehair from your bow and carefully replacing it with fresh, carefully selected horsehair.
It isn’t simply a matter of putting new hair into the bow. A proper professional rehair also provides an opportunity for a skilled luthier to inspect and service the bow as a whole.
Why Does Bow Hair Wear Out?
Horsehair is a natural material, so it will eventually deteriorate through normal playing.
Common signs that your bow may need a rehair include:
- Hair breaking or becoming noticeably thinner
- Hair becoming stretched and losing its natural tension
- Reduced grip between the bow and strings
- Less responsive attack
- Difficulty producing a clear, controlled sound
- Excessive amounts of rosin being required
- Uneven or poor-quality bow hair
- Hair damaged by bow bugs
The amount of time between rehairs varies considerably depending on the player, how frequently the bow is used, playing style and how well the bow is cared for.
What Are Bow Bugs?
One less obvious cause of damaged bow hair is bow bugs.
The larvae of carpet beetles can feed on the keratin protein found in animal hair. If your bow has been stored for a long period or you notice sections of hair mysteriously disappearing, bow bugs may be responsible.
What Happens During a Professional Bow Rehair?
A quality rehair is much more than simply replacing the hair.
During a professional rehair, a luthier can carefully assess the bow and its components to ensure it performs at its best.
The process can include:
1. Cleaning the Bow
The bow and its components are carefully cleaned to remove accumulated rosin and dirt.
2. Checking the Bow’s Weight
The bow can be weighed as part of the assessment process to help ensure the finished rehair maintains the appropriate balance and responsiveness.
3. Checking the Straightness of the Stick
The stick is assessed to ensure it remains appropriately straight and correctly functioning.
4. Inspecting the Frog and Mechanisms
The frog and its mechanisms are checked to make sure they are functioning correctly.
5. Fitting New Wedges
New wedges are carefully cut and fitted to hold and distribute the horsehair correctly within the frog and tip.
6. Selecting the Correct Amount of Hair
The appropriate quantity of horsehair is selected to suit the bow and help achieve the desired responsiveness.
7. Carefully Sorting the Horsehair
One of the most important parts of a quality rehair is selecting and sorting the hair.
Horsehair arrives in hanks and must be carefully inspected and sorted to remove undesirable hairs. This helps ensure that the finished bow provides the best possible consistency, response and playability.
What Colour Horsehair Is Used?
Horsehair is available in several colours, with white and black horsehair being the most commonly used for orchestral string bows. Chestnut or brown horsehair is also occasionally used.
The choice isn’t simply cosmetic. Different bows and playing requirements can call for different types and qualities of hair, which is why professional selection and fitting are important.
How Often Should a Bow Be Rehaired?
There isn’t one fixed timeframe that applies to every player.
A professional player who uses their bow for several hours every day may require a rehair considerably more frequently than a student who plays a few times each week.
Rather than relying solely on a calendar, look for changes in grip, responsiveness, attack and overall playability.
If the bow no longer feels or sounds the way it once did, it’s worth having it professionally assessed.
A Bow Rehair Can Bring Your Sound Back to Life
Think about the difference a fresh set of strings can make to a violin, viola or cello.
A properly serviced and rehaired bow can create a similar feeling.
Fresh, correctly selected horsehair can restore the bow’s ability to grip the strings effectively, helping improve response, articulation, attack and control.
For many players, a professional rehair can make an old or tired bow feel like it has come back to life.
Bring Your Bow to Carlingford Music Centre
Not sure whether your violin, viola, cello or double bass bow needs a rehair?
Bring your bow into Carlingford Music Centre for an appraisal. Our experienced team can assess its condition and help determine whether it would benefit from a professional rehair or further servicing.
A bow rehair is an important part of maintaining your string instrument setup — and when done properly, it can make a surprisingly significant difference to your playing experience.
Don’t replace your bow before you’ve had it professionally assessed.
📍 Visit Carlingford Music Centre and bring your bow in for an appraisal to see whether it is worth rehairing.
Carlingford Music Centre — Music First Since 1982.
